This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light and not as admissions of prior art.
Blowout preventers are used extensively throughout the oil and gas industry. Typical blowout preventers include a main body to which are attached various types of ram units. The two categories of blowout preventers that are most prevalent are ram blowout preventers and annular blowout preventers. Blowout preventer stacks frequently utilize both types, typically with at least one annular blowout preventer stacked above several ram blowout preventers. The ram units in ram blowout preventers allow for both the shearing of the wellbore tubular and the sealing of the blowout preventer. Typically, a blowout preventer stack may be secured to a wellhead and may provide a means for sealing the well in the event of a system failure.
Existing ram units often include shear blocks designed to be forced together to shear the wellbore tubular and seal the blowout preventer. The shear blocks generally feature opposing blade profiles used to cut the wellbore tubular. In some ram units, the opposing blade profiles feature a straight across cutting edge and/or a V-shaped cutting edge for shearing the wellbore tubular. In other existing ram units, the opposing blade profiles feature cutting points formed at acute angles extending toward the wellbore tubular to puncture and crush the wellbore tubular. Unfortunately, such blade profiles can lead to inefficient shearing of the wellbore tubular if the wellbore tubular (e.g., particularly a wellbore tubular with small outer diameter) slips between the opposing cutting points.